Genealogy: Home

What is Genealogy?

This guide provides links to major genealogy sources both  at Miami, statewide and by individual subscription. Historically the practice of genealogy has been associated with finding related individuals and often as a hobby. Today genealogy has gone mainstream. This guide will also suggest techniques to use available indexes to answer broader historical questions about society as well as to search more traditionally for individual ancestors.

How to Start

1. Talk with your family members and gather their memories. They will have names, maybe dates, maybe know where a relative is buried. Listen to stories. While these stories may not be 1000% true, they often have enough information in them to provide clues. Stories also make your relatives alive for you.
2. If you are interested in aggregated data, perhaps for a specific town or time period, try to decide what kind of information that will give you the data you need. For example, causes of death, nationality, immigration, etc. 
3. With the information you have, try to chart dates and relationships. Don't worry if you have big gaps. This exercise will help you clearly see where your gaps are and when you find information, determine if it fits in your family tree. [blank forms]